JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman swimming goes on the road to take on Division I opponent Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 12 beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center in Blacksburg, Va.
This will be the first of three Division I teams that the Eagles will face this season. With future meets against South Carolina on November 20th-22nd and Georgia Tech on January 4th coming up for the Eagles.
"We've got a big week ahead of us," said Eagles head coach Ben Young. "We're looking forward to facing a team that is, on paper, faster than us, but it's all about the challenge. I'm excited to see how we react to that going into an ACC school. It's just a different animal but it's encouraging to see how excited and ready the team is to race a Division I school."
Coming off of a road victory against Emory & Henry last week, the Eagles look to improve upon the performance in this week's meet.
"Our approach to that meeting [Emory & Henry] was just a different ballgame than what we've been used to seeing," said Young. " We had to shake off some of that rust that comes with starting the season, but I was impressed with how the team did. We now know the things that we need to work on and the areas that need to be improved. Looking at the team as a whole and how we held our energy from start to finish."
The Virginia Tech Hokies took down George Washington University on Saturday, Sep. 28 in a score of 375-219. Despite the difference in divisional status, Carson-Newman looks to improve upon their performances against the Hokies.
"You know we do belong," said Young. "It's crazy to think that anytime someone goes into a meet that they would have the feeling that they do not belong here. Our team has taken the exact opposite. People are going in hungry… we are there to continue to challenge the team to be more professional."
The Eagles hope to send a message to potential swimmers looking at Carson-Newman in their approach to the Virginia Tech meet.
"I think it shows that our programs want to compete at a higher level," Young said. "We're not finding meets that we are going to win every single time. That is not what this program is all about and it's not the program we are building at C-N. We want to be bigger, better, faster, stronger, all of those things. So to accomplish those things, you have to compete against people who are better than you."
The Eagles take on the Virginia Tech Hokies at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center in Blacksburg, Va.
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